IDIA02 Iditarod Race Checkpoints Tour

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is one of Alaska’s iconic winter events, and the excitement starts in Anchorage on the first Saturday of March each year. The annual long-distance sled dog race runs from Anchorage to Nome and mushers and a team of 16 dogs cover the distance in 8–15 days or more.

Itinerary

Anchorage ( Overnight: Anchorage )

Welcome to Alaska ! Transfer to your hotel in downtown Anchorage. The remaining day is at leisure and you have time to enjoy the many winter festival activities during Winter Fur Rendezvous with: Native Arts Market, Theater Show, Winter Carnival Activities, Snow & Ice Sculpture Competition, Snowshoe Softball Matches and Firework Displays - while the cities gears up for the Iditarod Race Start over the weekend. The statue of the legendary lead dog Balto, located on 4th Avenue, marks the "official" starting point of the Iditarod race. Enjoy a gourmet dinner with a breathtaking view across Cook Inlet from the Captain Cook Hotel or Simon and Seafort's Restaurant just above the shoreline of Cook Inlet.

Anchorage (Mushers Banquet) ( Overnight: Anchorage )

Explore the sights of Anchorage today during a guided city sightseeing tour. You'll visit the historical and scenic points of interest around Anchorage: Alaska's largest Floatplane Base at Lake Hood, scenic lookout at Earthquake Park, the snow sculptures at Ship Creek and a stop at the Lakefront Hotel to see the Iditarod Headquarter. At 4:00 PM join the Musher's Banquet Dinner at the Dena'ina Center. Main part of the exciting evening entertainment is the bib number drawing, an auction and a 3-course dinner which starts at 6:00 PM. This is a must for anyone interested to observe "The Last Great Race on Earth" for the first time. Participants have plenty of photo opportunities, good chances to meet and talk with the Iditarod Musher personally, collect autographs and participate in the auction.

Anchorage ( Overnight: Anchorage )

Enjoy your free day in Anchorage or join our Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise (optional). Get into a comfortable van and leave Anchorage for an exciting day of sightseeing. You will drive along Turnagain Arm with dramatic views of mountain scenery and inlet. Watch out for moose and dall sheep. Arrive in Whittier and join a 3 1/2 hr cruise to see the massive tidewater glaciers of Alaska at Blackstone Bay and Beloit Glacier - some of the most amazing sights you will ever see. Cruise along Passage Canal and venture into magnificent Blackstone Bay, home to seven glaciers and Yosemite-scale waterfalls. During our adventure you’ll step ashore to experience the natural geology and thick rainforest. Enjoy a snack and hot drink as you reflect on your journey and this magnificent nook of Alaska.

Anchorage – Iditarod Ceremonial Race Start ( Overnight: Anchorage )

The legendary Iditarod Race starts at 10 AM on 4th. Avenue in Anchorage. Observe the start preparations, take close up pictures from about 80 Musher's, over 1000 Sled Dogs and enjoy the bustling and exciting race atmosphere before the teams are leaving from the starting line for the "1050 mile race to Nome". Anchorage parks and green belts are providing also a great alternative to observe the race activities. The Balto Statue marks the ceremonial starting point of the Iditarod. Balto was the final lead sled dog in a relay of dogsleds that brought vaccine from Anchorage to Nome just in time to stop a diphtheria epidemic in 1925. The story of the sled dog relay is a classic tale of adventure and sacrifice, as mushers risked their lives in brutal conditions to save their fellow citizens.

Anchorage – Iditarod Race Start Willow ( Overnight: Anchorage )

After breakfast board the motorcoach for a guided tour to the official Iditarod Race Start in Willow (included). Leave at 10 AM and enjoy the drive along the scenic Glenn Highway with a brief stopover in Wasilla. Continue to Willow where the Iditarod restart ceremony begins at 2:00 PM. Enjoy the busy and bustling Iditarod race atmosphere and the musher's final preparation. For mushers, thousands of cheering fans at the official race restart -- following Saturday's ceremonial start in Anchorage -- now give way to remote Alaska wilderness and the promise of a finish line in Nome some 1,000 miles away, but not before crossing a trail that may prove perilous for both mushers and dogs. Our tour is fully narrated! Return to Anchorage approximately 7:00 PM.

Anchorage - Rainy Pass Checkpoint Day Tour ( Overnight: Anchorage )

Morning ski-plane fly-out for a breathtaking flightseeing trip along the Alaska Mountain Range to Rainy Pass Checkpoint along the Iditarod Trail. The gateway to the interior offers truly the most spectacular scenery of the entire Iditarod Trail. Many teams are taking their mandatory 24 hour layover here before venturing via the treacherous Farewell Burn area and into the flat lands of the interior. You'll spend the whole day within the incredible wilderness area along the trail observing various dog-mushing activities and teams arriving and departing. Return flight to Anchorage in the late afternoon. Upon arrival transfer to the hotel. Remaining evening on your own.

Anchorage – Nikolai Checkpoint Day Tour ( Overnight: Anchorage )

Morning flight to the native village of Nikolai for another day of up-close-and-personal race action. With a population of 125 people, Nikolai is the first of many tiny native villages along the Iditarod Trail at the South Fork of the Kuskokwim River. The site was a former trading post and roadhouse during the 1899's gold rush This is usually the preferred area were the leading Iditarod dog teams are taking their mandatory 24-hour layover. You spend the entire day within the incredible wilderness area along the trail observing various dog mushing activities and arrival or departures of the teams. Return flight to Anchorage in the late afternoon with our ski-planes.

Anchorage

Morning at leisure in/around Anchorage. Time for your last shopping activities, visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center or have a nice seafood lunch with delicious Alaska Salmon or King Crabs in one of Anchorage's top restaurants. Transfer from the hotel to the airport. End of tour package. Please note: Individual program extensions are available.

Prices & Dates

No Records Found

What’s included

7 Nights Superior or First Class Hotel Accommodation

Local Taxes

Airport Transfers

Iditarod Re-Start Tour to Willow

Anchorage City Sightseeing Tour

Musher's Banquet Entrance Ticket including Dinner

Flightseeing Day Tour to Rainy Pass Checkpoint

Flightseeing Day Tour to Nikolai Checkpoint

Sightseeing Information

Tour Documentation

Tour Departures

February 27 – March 03, 2019

Attractions & Optional

Anchorage: Iditarod Presentation, Kennel Visit & Sled Dog Ride

Visit the sled dog kennel of a famous Iditarod musher and get to know all about the Iditarod Race and Mushing Basics combined with the exhilaration of a sled dog ride and driving a team (included). This tour is an exciting introduction to the traditional Alaska winter transportation with lively huskies and a musher with a long time Iditarod history. The presentation is inspiring and educational where you'll learn all about the sled dogs, required equipment, how the Iditarod race is organized, checkpoints procedures and mushing basics including dog team commands, running positions, sled harnessing and breading. Then it is all about mushing. Ever dreamed of moving silently across snowy landscape pulled by a team of Alaskan Huskies? Meet the harnessed team and a musher for introductions and take some pictures. Then enjoy the sled dog ride on one of the beautiful winter trails. A delicious lunch is included. Duration: 3 hours * length of the sled dog ride depends on the weather & trail conditions

Prince William Sound Glacier & Wildlife Cruise

A rich variety of wildlife thrives year-round in Prince William Sound, and you can cruise these spectacular waters in the comfort of our spacious heated cabins. Winter is no obstacle to your enjoying the beauty of alpine glaciers, jagged shorelines and towering rocky outcroppings through our vessels' large picture windows. We commonly see Steller sea lions, sea otters, Dall's porpoise, and perhaps even Orca or Humpback whales. There is also a variety of ducks and waterfowl present at this time of the year. Join the 3 1/2 hr cruise to see the massive tidewater glaciers of Alaska at Blackstone Bay and Beloit Glacier - some of the most amazing sights you will ever see. Cruise along Passage Canal and venture into magnificent Blackstone Bay, home to seven glaciers and Yosemite-scale waterfalls. During our adventure you’ll step ashore to experience the natural geology and thick rainforest. Enjoy a snack and hot drink as you reflect on your journey and this magnificent nook of Alaska.

Accommodation

First Class Hotel Category (**** Hotels & Lodges)

First Class Hotels tend to provide additional amenities such as on-site restaurant, Lounge, Bar, Fireplace Seating, Fitness Facility, Swimming Pool / Hot Tub etc. All First Class Hotel Rooms are of higher category and are always equipped with a private bathroom. Most of these Category Hotels are normally located in prime downtown locations or within national parks. These include larger hotel chains are for example: Marriott Hotels, Sheraton, Westmark Hotels, Princess Hotels and Lodges, Clarion Suites, Comfort Inn & Suite. The larger hotel chains are only available in Anchorage and Fairbanks. In case of non-availability of a larger hotel chain, we prefer to book locally owned Premium Hotels / Deluxe Cabins or Cottage for our clients. Please note that First class accommodation may not be available in small locations and in such cases we will then book the best available accommodation.

Comfort Hotel Category (*** Hotels, Motels & Lodges) Title

Comfort Hotels offer a good amount of essential guest services and are located in downtown locations and/or in/near national park areas. All Comfort Hotel Rooms are provided with private bathroom facilities. Example larger hotel chains for Comfort Hotel Category are: Holiday Inn, Howard Johnson, Guesthouse Inn, Ramada Inn, High Country Inn. As you might be aware, that these hotel chains are not available throughout Alaska. In such cases or/and when we feel that Alaskan owned hotels & lodges offer a better experience, we go with that choice. Cabins and Cottages also considered in this category to make your experience even more ‘Alaskan’. We ensure that all the Cabins & Cottages have a private bath to make your stay comfortable.

Map

Maps

Information

Information

Customizing Tours

All of our tours are flexible and you can add, modify or exchange nights in destinations to suit your timetable and preferred routing. Thus, sometimes it will be necessary to observe ferry schedules, national park opening/closing dates etc. to match certain dates and/or departures. Please check also each itinerary online.

Included Services

Please refer to the appropriate tour page for a listing of included services. Our service generally includes the rental car, accommodation, applicable local taxes, ferry trips as scheduled, sightseeing as per itinerary, a detailed tour description, highway or road logs. Not included are: Meals, tunnel tolls, gasoline, entrance fees, additional sightseeing tours. The rental of a compact car (automatic) is always included in our flexible self drive tour packages. Additional rental days or upgrade to a Mid and Full Size Car, Mini Van or Sport Utility Vehicles (4x4) are available. The displayed upgrade rental rates are always per car (not per person) - and of course for the total length of the tour package. Our advertised rates include all local taxes, licensing fee, airport fee, road tax and unlimited mileage. Rental Car insurance is not included as most US guests can use their own private insurance. A valid driver license and a valid major credit card are mandatory for all individual vehicle rentals and/or tour packages including vehicle rentals. Driving on gravel roads/highways is at own risk. The rental car insurance is void on the following highways Denali Highway, Dalton Highway, Top of the World Highway, Taylor Highway, McCarthy Road, Dempster Highway and all other gravel roads. You will be responsible for any damages. Drivers have to be more than 25 years of age. Contact us if you are below 25 years of age.

Advance Reservation

If you travel during the high season from the middle/end of June until the end of August we recommend booking as early as possible to avoid disappointments with sold out situations in highly frequented national parks and gateways - because the northern tour season is very short. The same applies in/around national holidays. Any hotel accommodation, rentals cars and ferry space must be definitely booked well in advance. Thus, tour operator such as our company may still have space on a short notice. Accordingly it is well worth to contact us.

Travel Month

The last two weeks of May, June and September are perfect months for a vacation in the Land of the Midnight Sun. The weather is usually stable and sunny with almost 24 hours of daylight. July and August are prime travel months and are obviously very busy.

Emergency Assistance

You can contact us in case of an emergency. We have a dedicated 24/7 helpline available for our guests.

Available Room Occupancy / Bed Configuration

Single: A room assigned to one person. Room with one bed (double, queen, king size)

Double: A room assigned to two people. Room with two double/queen beds or a king size bed.

Triple:A room assigned to three people. Room with two double/queen beds

Quad: A room assigned to four people. Room with two double/queen beds The maximum occupancy per room is four. Please request if you require a roll-a-way bed.

We can arrange our self drive tours including 2 rooms and 1 rental car if your group is larger than 4.

Bed and Breakfast (B&B) Option

We can substitute the overnight in a hotel with the overnight in a Bed and Breakfast. In this case breakfast is included. The rate of the first class / comfort hotel class will remain the same. We can only exchange some of the hotels since B&B’s are not available in all locations.

Northern Lights Observation

Because of the long daylight hours it is uncommon to see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) displays from mid May until mid August. The Aurora occurs mainly during the fall / winter months from September – April. Please refer also to our winter touring program.

VISA / Identification

The Visa/entry requirements do change frequently. Please check requirements on the appropriate government pages. We are unable to take any responsibility for such information however you will definitely need your passport to cross the US/Canadian Border. Please ask us if your self drive tour enters Canada.

Travel Insurance

We strongly encourage you to purchase travel insurance to cover: cancellation fees associated with an outing as well as airfare or other nonrefundable expense in the event you need to cancel a trip; medical expenses incurred on a trip; and the cost of a possible medical evacuation from a trip, canceled flights due to weather. We have made arrangements with our trusted travel insurance provider for you to purchase a comprehensive travel insurance plan. Please contact us for details

Reviews

Reviews

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